Automatic washing machines



Oct. 24, 1961 J. GEHRIG 3,005,328

` AUTOMATIC WASHING MACHINES Filed March 16. 1959 Tos'efk G EHRlG INVENTOR B: WMJQYAAj-,Zhiv A 51175 3,005,328 AUTOMATIC WASHING MACHINESJoseph Gehrig, Jacob Burckhardt-Strasse 73,

Basel, Switzerland Filed Mar. 16, 1959, Ser. No. 799,661 Clalmspriority, application Switzerland Mar. 18, 1958 2 Claims. (Cl. 68-12)Two driving motors are often provided for automatic washing machinesincorporating a rotary druminto which the linen is to be introduced. Ofthese motors one revolves at a comparatively slow speed and will betermed hereinafter the oscillating motor, while the other motor revolvesat a comparatively high speed and will be termed the spinning motor. Thewashing motor is 'associated with a reversing or pole-shifting device,the part played by which is to reverse the washing motor and therebyoscillate the washing drum during the washing procedure alternatingly inboth directions. A time switch or program-controlled system provides atthe end of each Washing operation for an automatic disconnection of thesnited States Patent 0 cillating motor and for the energization of thespinning motor with a view to draining the linen inside the washing drumthrough a high speed spinning movement. If the direction of rotation ofthe drum does not correspond at such a moment with the direction inwhich it isV to be driven by the spinning motor, there is a risk of anoverstressing of the driving means. It is also possible that the linencollects then to one side of the drum, so that the drum rotates with aconsiderable eccentricity of its center of gravity, which may lead tofurther damage.

Now, my invention has for its object a washing machine wherein thesedilierent risks are set aside through the fact that the spinning motoris no longer energized for draining the Vlinen as, long. as thedirection of rotation of the oscillating motor at the moment consideredYis op posed to that provided by the spinning motor. r

I have illustrated in the single figure of the accompanying drawing awiring diagram of an embodiment of my invention given by way ofexemplication. In said diagram, 1 designates the automatic washingmachine, the rotary drum 2 of which is adapted to carry the linen, whileelectrical heating means 3 incorporated with the machine serve for theheating of the water required for the washing. The washing machine isprovided with two three-phase motors, to wit, as already mentioned, anoscillating motor 4 rotating at a comparatively low speed and a spinningmotor 5 rotating at a comparatively high speed. These two motors areconnected in parallel with the three-phase mains illustrated at R, S, T.There is provided in the connections for each motor a main switch 6, thecommon control winding for said main switches being illustrated at 7.The oscillating motor 4 is associated with a reversing or pole-shiftingswitch generally designated by the reference 8 and of which the controlmember 8a is subjected to the action of a traction spring 9 urging itnormally into the position illustrated. It is assumed that thiscondition of the reversing switch 8 corresponds to the rotation of theoscillating motor 4 in the direction of the arrow x. The direction ofrotation of the spinning motor is designated by the arrow y. Theswitch-controlling member 8a is subjected to the action of a controlwinding 10 which, when energized, urges the reversing switch 8 in adirection opposing the action of the traction spring 9, whereby theswitch enters a position corresponding to the direction of rotation ofthe oscillating motor 4 illustrated by the arrow y opposed to thepreceding direction of rotation.

As mentioned hereinabove, the oscillating motor 4 and, consequently, therotary drum 2 are rotated during the Washing operation alternatingly inboth directions; this is obtained through the fact that the controlwinding 10 is rice energized at a rhythm corresponding to the desiredrhythm of rotary reciprocation of the drum 2. Said winding 10 isinserted in an auxiliary branch circuit fed by the auxiliary circuit abthrough the lead 11, switch 12 and further lead 11a. A synchronous motor14 is furthermore connected through the lead 11, auxiliary switch 16 andlead 13 with the auxiliary circuit ab and it drives a cam 15 providingfor the alternating Yclosing and opening of the switch 12 in series withthe winding 10, whereby the reversing switch 8 is energized periodicallyas precedingly mentioned. 'I'he movable member controlling the auxiliaryswitch 16 in the circuit energizing the synchronous motor is rigid withthe member4 controlling the main switches or contactor 6. On the otherhand, there is provided a further auxiliary switch 17 in the circuit ofthe control winding 7 also fed by the auxiliary circuit ab and thisauxiliary switch 17 is controlled by a movable control member -rigidlyconnected with the control member 8a for the reversing switch 8. Saidauxiliary switch 17 is inserted in series with a switch 18 controlled bya cam 19. This cam 19 is driven by a further synchronous motor 20 ortimer motor which drives also a distributor cam 21 closingeither of twoswitches 22 and 23 inserted in parallel in the circuit of the timermotor 20. The timer motor 20 associated with the two cams 19 and 21 andthe cam-actuated switches 22 and 23 can be considered yas aprogram-controlled system of which only those parts are shown which areactually of interest for the understanding of the present invention.

The electrical heating means 3 are connected through a contactor switch24 with the three-phase mains R, S, T. The winding 25 which controlssaid contactor switch 24 is connected with the auxiliary circuit abunder the control of a thermostat 26 subjected to the temperature of thewashing water or of the washingV lye. In one'V of the branch circuits ofthe circuit for the timer motor 20 there is inserted in series with theswitch 23 a further switch 27, the control member of which is rigidlyconnected with the control member of the contactor switch 24 for theheating means.

I will now describe the operation of the washing machine taking moreparticularly into account the proposed object, to wit: that ofpreventing the transfer of the energization from the oscillating motor 4to the spinning v motor 5 from leading to an initiating draining of thelinen before the two motors rotate in the same direction.

As already mentioned, there is obtained, through the switch 12controlled by the cam 15, a sequence of periodical reversals of thedirection of rotation of the oscillating motor through the reversingswitch 8. Assuming that the machine is started with the switches in theposition shown in the ligure, since the switch 18 has not been closed bythe cam 19 the control winding 7 for the main switch 6 is not energized.The switch 16 is thus closed and the synchronous motor 14 is energizedto rotate the cam 15, which in turn causes the periodic reversal of thepoles of motor 4 through the pole shifting switch 8. If during this timethe thermostat 26, due to a drop in temperature in the washing machineshould cause control winding 25 to become energized so as to close theheating contactor 24, this will open the portion 27 of the contactor 24.With the cam 21 in the opposite position from that shown, which it wouldbe in for a heating cycle to occur, the timer motor 20 will be in acircuit with the switch 23 and the portion 27 of the contactor 24. Withthe portion 27 open, the timer motor circuit will be deenergized, andthe timer motor will stop until the heating cycle is completed. Thetimer motor 20 will again start to run when the contactor 24 returns tothe position shown, rotating cam 19. The cam 19 provides in its turn thealternating opening and closing of the switch 18. When the latter isopen, the winding 7 controlling the main switches 6 is deenergized, sothat the latter enters the position illustrated, for which the spinningmotor is deenergized and the oscillating motor 4 is energized. At thesame time, the lauxiliary switch 16 closes consequently the circuit overthe synchronous motor 14, so that the latter runs and the reversingswitch 8 reverses periodically the direction of rotation of theoscillating motor 4. The program-controlled system 19-23 ensures at theend of the washing period a closing of the switch 18. If the reversingswitch 8 is then, on the other hand, in a position such that theoscillating motor 4 revolves in the direction y, the circuit feeding thewinding 7 for the main switches 6 is closed at 17 and 18, so that themain switches 6 are operated, which deenergizes the oscillating motor 4and energizes the spinning motor 5. Thus, the shifting of energy betweenthe motors 4 and 5 can be obtained only when the auxiliary switch 17 isclosed, that is when the reversing switch 8 is in a -positioncorresponding to the direction of rotation y for the motor 4, i.e. whenthe two motors 4 and 5 revolve in the same direction. For the positionthus assumed by the main switches 6, the auxiliary switch 16 is alsoopen and, consequently, the synchronous motor 14 is inoperative and thereversing means 8 are no longer actuated.

After a predetermined duration of draining, the program-controlledsystem 19-23` opens again the switch 18, which has for its result thatthe main switches 6 provide again for the shifting of energy from thespinning motor 5 to the oscillating motor 4 together with areenergization of the reversing means 14--12--10-8.

What l claim is:

1. An automatic Washing machine, comprising in combination a tub havinga rotatable drum therein, a low speed motor means which is reversibleand connected to said drum for rotating the drum alternately in oppositedirections, pole reversing switch means in the electric power supply tosaid low speed motor means for reversing the power supply to said lowspeed motor means for reversing the direction of said low speed motormeans, a high speed motor means connected to said drum for spinming saiddrum in one direction at a high speed for centrifugally extracting thewashing and rinsing liquid from the wash within said drum, a Ymotorswitch means in the electric power supply for said motors and completingthe circuit to one of said motors while opening the circuit to the otherof said motors, and program timer means connected to said pole reversingswitch means and the motor switch means for said 10W speed and highspeed motor means for controlling the sequence of the low speed driveand high speed drive of said tub, said program timer means and said polereversing switch means being connected for moving said motor switchmeans for connecting the high speed motor means to the power supply anddisconnecting said low speed motor means from the power supply only whenthe direction of rotation of said low speed motor means is the same asthe direction in which said high speed motor means rotates.

2. A washing machine as claimed in claim l in which said pole reversingswitch means has a make and break contact therein which is closed whenthe direction of rotation of said low speed motor means is the same asthe direction of rotation of said high speed motor means, and saidprogramtimer means having ra cam controlled switch which is closed whensaid high speed motor means is to be run, said make and break contactand said cam controlled switch being connected in series, and said motorswitch means being a solenoid controlled main switch, said make andbreak contact and said camcontrolled switch being in the solenoidcircuit of said main switch, whereby the high speed spinning of saiddrum in said one direction is started while said drum is moving in saidone direction under the action of said low speed motor means.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,056,833 Davis Oct. 6, 1936 OTHER REFERENCES Germany (PrintedApplication) P11968 VII/ 8d, Nov. 29, 1956.

